best weight to put in bed of truck for winter traction?

[Kiohio]

Translation for Grizz: "Use Chevy/Ford Bed floor patch material" :-laf :-laf :-laf



KO

 

[Grizzly]

Translation for Grizz: "Use Chevy/Ford Bed floor patch material" :-laf :-laf :-laf



KO

??????????

 

[IRoss]

All I use is a snowmobile... .

 

[Kiohio]

Grizz... . You said "Try a 4'x8' 1/4" steel plate with a rubber mat over it. If you need more traction, use two 1/4" steel plates. "

 

[therabbittree]

hey man the plate idea is a good one. . when my flatbed is done it will have a lot of extra weight for it from itself all steel. . oh and my dodge has a rotted bed too . . so its not just ford and chevys haha. .

Later

Deo

 

[Kiohio]

The floor was about the only thing good on my old factory bed LOL.



KO

 

[biggieou]

I wouldnt suggest putting salt in the bed. While I'm sure member have used salt and never had a problem, a guy I knew used bags of salt in his truck and one broke open and next spring he didnt have the front corner of his bed... . see oxidation in the dictionary. I have always used sandbags, and the one winter I actually used a Pontiac rear end-not very efficient, but coupled with a few sandbags was more than sufficient.

 

[Grizzly]

hey man the plate idea is a good one. . when my flatbed is done it will have a lot of extra weight for it from itself all steel. . oh and my dodge has a rotted bed too . . so its not just ford and chevys haha. .

Later

Deo

Did you read this Kiohio. Maybe if you kept your mouth shut and your ears open, you can learn a few things.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Here's what I normally have in the bed of our 2WD truck:



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That's a 50 gallon tool/fuel box to the front, and with the RV 5th wheel hitch and other storage box at the rear, gives me about 3500 Lbs over the rear axle, and 4500 at the front. So far, so good...

 

[Kiohio]

Sheesh Grizz I was just kidding... ... .



Pardon me



KO

 

[FDavid]

3 tons usually does the trick



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[dpuckett]

I have my first 1wd dually with a steel flatbed. It did pretty well backing up our street with 4 bald tires, two of which were flat. Previous dually (p-u bed) couldnt hardly go forward up the same street. I guess the flatbed adds enough weight to give more traction.



DP

 

[Kiohio]

I'm not sure how much more weight the flatbed added to my truck but it must be a decent amount. It has to help traction a bit I'd say.

It rides ALOT better.



KO

 

[mazdarotary]

3 tons usually does the trick



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That is all fine,and dandy,but I want to be able to use the bed,and have steering as well. Man that thing looks light in the front end!!!



I appreciate all the post so far,and I think the concensus is to use sand bags. I like the steel plate idea,but I have no idea where I would get something like that. I need something that is readily available,and relativly easy to install/remove from the bed if need be.



I can get sand at the local Home Cheapo,and Lowes right?I suppose I could buy sand bags,but again I don't have access to a sand pit. I do have a water softner in my house,and I buy 40 lb bags of salt for it. Maybe I should stock up,and put that in the bed wrapped in something though so I don't rott out the bed if the bags rip. Oh wait I have a bed liner that should stop that from happening too bad.

 

[Grizzly]

Sheesh Grizz I was just kidding... ... .



Pardon me



KO

Okay, I did get a little ticked, but all is well now. griz

 

[Grizzly]

FDavid:

Be careful putting that much weight on you truck. I can't tell if that truck is a 2500 or a 3500, but you have about 2 1/2 yards at about 2700 lbs /yd, if it not wet, which is about 6,750 lbs dry. First thing that will go is the rear tires, then the springs, then the axle. Even my 3500 DRW won't carry that much weight. The other thing to consider is that when you get all that weight going, sooner or later you will have to stop it.

 

[BHiggins]

How 'bout a front axle and a transfer case :-laf . Just kidding. Whatever you put back there make sure it's VERY secure. I used a 36" X 6" slab of concrete and thought it was well secured with 2x4's... It wasn't. It stayed put until the first frost, when it slid into the front bed wall with enough force to dent the rear of my cab. Luckily, it happened to an old Chevy and not my first gen.

 

[JLEONARD]

Just make sure whatever you put in the bed gets SECURED. When you have to lay on the brakes whatever is back there becomes a missile... and you will be too busy to think about ducking.